Have you recently become manager of a team, delegating down instead of managing up? Shilpa Wymer helps new supervisors to understand their role better. โWhat do you think youโre doing? This is simply not good enough,โ youโve just found yourself shouting at the office administrator. You didnโt mean to, but what with trying to meet the deadline for producing a presentation for the CEOโs AGM, as well as checking the venue and travel arrangements, youโve got more than your fair share of work on your plate. Now they have just messed up the photocopying, the machine is jammed and they are huddling with some colleagues being consoled.
When first asked, you thought it would be easy managing a few of the administrative staff; after all, you reckon youโre good with people. However, itโs turning out to be much harder than you imagined. Managing people can be tough, but there is no need to worry. Like everything else, itโs easy enough when you break it down. Here are the three main steps.
Set the boundaries
The question of how to set yourself apart and be their manager rather than a colleague is always going to be a bit like walking on eggshells, so the sooner you crack it, the better. To do so, simply have a one-to-one meeting with each of the people you are expected to manage. Set about understanding what they do on a day-to-day basis, explain what you expect from them, tell them to come to you if they need help and finally gain agreement. This puts a line in the sand and clarifies you will now be managing them. Not everybody will like it, but itโs a good starting point and helps to set clear boundaries.
Delegating effectively
The art of delegation is more complex and will take practice. The challenge is to get someone else to complete a task properly, to the standard you want, by the time you want it. True delegation requires you to brief the individual as to what you require, asking them open questions to involve them and get their buy-in. For example: โThe boss may need to rework some of the figures. What do you think is the best way for you to create the report so he can do that? Whatโs your best guess for getting the figures back to me?โ Then create opportunities for them to check with you that theyโre still on the right track. For example, โOK. If we aim for Wednesday, thatโs great. Letโs have a quick safety check Tuesday lunchtime to make sure everythingโs going to plan.โ
When it all goes wrong
And then the time comes when you have to reprimand someone, either for the quality of their work, or for their behaviour. This can be stressful, especially if you have to sit next to the person, but itโs a necessary part of the role.
The first thing to do is speak to the individual in a private office. Start by stating what youโve observed, instead of making an accusation: โIt seems to me youโre spending an awful lot of time on cigarette breaks.โ Or โIt seems that whenever I ask you for the daily report, you havenโt even started it until I prompt you.โ The individual is likely to be defensive and start justifying what they have done, so you need to then elaborate. โI have logged how often this has happened…โ Finally, state what you want to happen from now on and, using open questions, ask them how they are going to deliver.
Itโs a slightly uncomfortable scenario for both parties, but it has to be done and it works; within months, youโll be a whizz at managing people.
Shilpa Wymer is Managing Director at Pitman Training Centre. For more information on the centreโs products and services, visit holborntraining.co.uk
